As an electromagnetic contactor which carries out the opening/closing of a current path, there has heretofore been proposed a switch of, for example, a configuration wherein a fixed contact is bent in a U-shape when viewed from a side, a fixed contact point is formed in a bent portion, and a movable contact point of a movable contact is disposed to be capable of contacting to and separating from the fixed contact point. The switch is arranged so that an opening speed is enhanced by increasing an electromagnetic repulsion force acting on the movable contact when a large current is interrupted, thus rapidly extending an arc (for example refer to PTL1).
Also, there has been proposed a contact structure of an electromagnetic contactor which causes an arc to be driven by a magnetic field generated by current flowing in the same configuration (for example refer to PTL 2).